Traveler box for curtains



ZMW 61% BY M r Jamey R O T m V W 1.7- v i L. A. ABROTT TRAVELER BOX FOR CURTAINS Flled Aprll 1 1924 March 17, 1925.

ATTORNEY-3 claims Patented Mar. 17, 1925.

LAWRENCE A. ABBOTT, OF OAKLAND, CALIFORNIA.-

rmmm Box r03. comma.

Application filed April 1, 1924. Serial no. 708,546.

To all whom it may .Be it known that I, LAWRENCE A. mom, a citizen of the United States, residing at Oakland, in the county of Alameda and State of California, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Traveler Boxes for Curtains, of which, the following is a specification.

M invention relates to traveler-boxes for orizontally movable curtains of the type used upon theater stages.

he objects of my invention are to provide a traveler-box having suflicient strength and rigidity to span the entire width of any ordinary stage and support the heaviest curtains atpresent employed; to provide tracks and hangers or travelers of such a nature that the movement of the latter will be smooth and free; to provide for a sufficient overlap of the two parts of the curtain at the center; and to provide for tlfe simultaneous operation of both parts of the curtain by means of a sin le cord, the horizontal runs of said cor being fully enclosed within the box to prevent 'them from interfering with each other or becoming entangled. These and other objects ofmy invention will become apparent from the following specification, wherein a preferred embodiment of my said invention is described. It should be understood, however, that the form and construction of the device ma be varied, within the limits of the ereto appended, from that herein shown and described, without departing from the essential principles of the invention. L,

A preferred embodiment of my invention will now be fully described with reference to the accompanying drawings, wherein- Fig. 1 is a part sectional front elevation of my travelenbox.

Fig. 2 is a horizontal section taken on the line 22 of Fig. 1.

Figs. 3, 4 and 5 are transverse sections taken respectively on the lines 3-3, 44, and 5--5 of Fig. 2, and viewed in the direction of the arrows.

In the drawings, the reference numerals 1 designate a pair of spaced girder members,

which form the side walls of the box, and extend the entire width of the stage, resting at their ends on supports 2. 1 is a central girder member, similar in form and dimension to the members 1, which divides the box into two parallel channels 3 and 3. Top members 4 are provided to connect the girders 1 and 1' firmly together and to provide covers for the channels 3 and 3'.

The channel 3, from the left hand end of the box to a point slightly beyond its center, is provided with a pair of spaced track members 5, forming ,a V-shaped slotted track as shown, in which ride the preferably spherical travelers 6. Hangers 7, of anysuitable form, are secured to the traveler balls 6, and, extending through the slot formed between the track members 5, support the left hand portion 8 of the curtain. A horizontal guide member 9 is placed in the channel 3 above the traveler balls 6, to prevent said balls from riding upon and {Jamming each other. Transverse stop memers 10 are provided at the ends of the track to limit the movements of the curtain, said stop members and the guide member 9 serving to further strengthen the box by connecting the girders 1 and 1'. The remaining, or right hand portion of the channel 3, is provided with a bottom 11.

The channel 3' is similarly provided with track members 5 extending from its right hand end to a point somewhat beyond the center, said members forming a track for the travelers 6 which support, by means of hangers 7', the right hand portion 8' of the curtain. This track is similarly provided with a horizontal top guide 9', and

end sto members 10', and the remainin or left and portion of the channel 3' is provided with a bottom member 11.

It will be observed that the two tracks formed by the members 5 and 5 lie in different vertical planes, and overlap at the center of the box, so that thefltwo portions 8 and 8 of the curtain. when drawn together, will overlap smoothly and automatically, without interfering with each other, and without further attention on the part I of the operator,and will therefore make a com lete closure without spreading part; T e two portions 8 and '8' of the curtain are operated, simultaneously and in opposite directions, by a single cord 12, which passes first through the channel 3, then around a horizontally dis posed sheave 13, and back throu h the channel 3. The two end portions o said cord preferably han down over vertically disposed Sheaves 14 and 14', and may be joined together as shown, if desired. The cord 12 passes centrally through theball travelers 6 and 6' in the respective channels 3 and 3'. The end-most ball of each series, that is, the

right hand ball of the series 6 and the left hand ball of the series 6', are fixed upon said cord 12, preferably by means of suitable clamps 15, one such clamp, beingsecured to the cord 12 on each side of each such ball; the remaining balls are freely slidable upon said cord. Therefore, when the cord 12 is moved in one direction, by pulling upon one of the depending falls of its bight, the two portions of the curtain will be drawn apart, and when said cord is moved in the other direction, they will be drawn together.

In practise, I prefer to construct the entire box of wood, although other materials may be used with equal success. The depth of the girders 1 and 1, and conse uently of the entire box, is, of course, de en ent upon the length of the span and t e weight of the curtains to be supported, and by making said girders of sufficient depth, the heaviest curtains can be supported, without appreciable sag.

. It will be seen that the horizontal or tions ofthe cord 12 lie wholly enclose in the channels 3 and 3', and are separated by the central girder 1', so that there is no exposed cord to become entangled with the travelers or hangers.

Iclaim: i

1. A traveler-box for curtains comprising spaced girder members forming apair of parallel channels extendin the entire length of the box; track mem ers secured to said girder member within said channels, the track members of the two channels extending from the opposite end regions thereof toward the eeneral region of the box and over-lapping in said central region; travelers movably carried by said track members; and means for connecting said girder members together.

2. A traveler-box for curtains comprising spaced girder members forming a pair of parallel channels extending the entire len h of the box; track members secured to sai :girder members within said channels, the track members of the two channels extending from the opposite end regions thereof toward the central region of the box;

travelers movably carried by said track memspacing members fixed to and extending'between said girder members for partially enclosing said channels, said 8 acingmembers connecting said girder mem rs together.

3. A traveler-box for curtains comprisg ing spaced girder members forming a pair of parallel channels; track members secured to said girder members within said chanj nels, the track members of the two.channels extending from the opposite end re-- gions thereof toward the central region of the box; travelers movably carried by said track members; means within said channels for moving said travelers; upper spacing members extending the entire length of said girder members, between the upper edges thereof; and lower spacing mem rs fixed to and extending between the lower edges of said girder members, said lower spacing members occupying the portions of the channels beyond the ends of said track members, said spacmg members enclosing said channels and connecting said irder members together.

4. A travelerx for curtains comprising spaced girder members forming a pair of parallel channels extendin the entire length of the box; track mem rs secured to said girder members within said channels, the track members of the. two channels extending from the opposite end re ions thereof toward the central region 0 the box; travelers movably carried b said track members; means within said 0 annels for moving said travelers; upper spacing memfixed to and extending girder members, fixed to and extending between the upper edges thereof; and guide members positioned below said spacing members and extending between and fixed to said girder members for connecting the same together, said guide members being spaced abovesaid'track members to retain the travelers therein. 5. A traveler-box for curtains comprismg spaced girder members forming a pair of parallel channels extending the entire length of the box; a pair of oppositely disposed track mem bers secured to the girder members within each members having oppositely sloping upper edges forming V-shaped tracks and being spaced to provide longitudinal slots in the bottoms of said tracks; substantially spherical travelers mounted in said tracks; hangers secured to said travelers and extending downwardly through said slots; and-means for connecting said girder members together.

6. traveler-box for curtains comprising three spaced parallel girder members extending the entireJength of the box, the

channel, said track I central girder member forming a partition to divide the interior of the box into two separate and parallel channels; spacing and connecting members extending between said girder members for rigidly uniting the same and for partially enclosin said channels; oppositely disposed spaced track members secured to said girder members within said channels; and travelers movably carried by said track members.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification.

LAWRENCE A. ABBOTT. 

